Expedition Journals

We are delighted to share with you our 50 documentary expeditions of Project Remote as they unfold state by state across America. We hope that you enjoy reading accounts of our work as much as we enjoyed doing all the fulfilling work it took get there. A book manuscript about Project Remote is in the works. We will share many of our family wilderness experiences as well as report all our scientific findings at each state Remote Spot. It is our greatest desire that this work becomes a platform for preservation of America’s remaining roadless wildlands.

All materials and photos on this website are the intellectual property of Remote Footprints. We post our photos large enough for you to be able to see something–and use if you like–but, if you would like to use our text or photos, please tell us how you wish to do so, and just ask our permission first. Thank you.

Arkansas Remote Spot – The Arkansas Remote Spot is located within the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, 2.5 miles from the nearest road. We canoed over 7 miles up the Ouachita River to the Remote Spot, camped at a Refuge primitive campsite, then canoed against a wind that was stronger than the current to get back to our truck the next day.

Colorado Remote Spot – This Remote Spot represents the highest elevation of any state Remote Spot to-date: 11,700 ft. Our expedition was a 3-night, 4-day expedition through the Weminuche Wilderness Area. The Spot is 8.8 miles from a road.

Connecticut Mainland Remote Spot– Due to issues accessing the island Remote Spot (3.2 miles from a road), we documented CT’s mainland Remote Spot. The mainland Spot is located within the Canaan Mountain Natural Area Preserve, 1.1 miles from the nearest road. Accompanied by our nephew, Cameron, we day-hiked into the Spot, a 4.2 mile round-trip along the designated trail system.

Delaware Remote Spot – Delaware’s Remote Spot is located 3.2 miles from the nearest road on the shores of Delaware Bay. Because we were not permitted by the Refuge to spend the night, we had to use our 18ft jon boat to travel to the Spot.

Florida Mainland Remote Spot– We ventured to the remotest location on Florida’s mainland – a beach 17 straight-line miles from the nearest road. During the last few days of 2009, we boated about 30 miles south from Everglades City and camped on boat and beach during our 3 day excursion. The Remote Spot was located within the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Wilderness Area of Everglades National Park.

Idaho Remote Spot– We trekked into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area to document the Idaho Remote Spot. The Spot is 17.6 miles from a road straight-line distance but our journey took us more than 50 miles over a 6 days period.

Illinois Remote Spot – The Spot is situated on a levy that juts out into the Mississippi River. At 1.4 miles from a road, this Spot was not very remote and entailed a quick 45-minute canoe paddle down the Mississippi.

Iowa Remote Spot – We traveled the iconic Mississippi River to document the Iowa Remote Spot. Just 1.5 miles from a road, the Spot is located within the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. While impacted by the series of locks and dams, this 240,000 acre Refuge provides essential habitat for migrating waterfowl and many other wildlife species.

Maine Mainland Remote Spot – The remotest location on the mainland of Maine is within Baxter State Park, 6.0 miles from the nearest road. Accompanied by our nephew, Cameron, we spent two days backpacking into and out of the Spot, a 20.2 mile round-trip hike along the trail system.

Maryland Remote Spot – The Maryland Remote Spot is located on a deserted island in the Chesapeake Bay, 7.6 miles from the nearest road. Together with Rebecca’s parents, Mike and Tina, we used our small jon boat to travel to the island. Great weather, and hence great water conditions, made for memorable and isolated experience!

Massachusetts Remote Spot – The Massachusetts Remote Spot is located within the Monomoy Wilderness Area of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, 8.2 miles from the nearest road. Rebecca’s cousin, Bryan Hallas, was our captain as we boated to the Spot and navigated around a pod of gray seals.

Minnesota Remote Spot – The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of our nation’s iconic wild places. The Minnesota Remote Spot, at 14.3 miles from a road, featured a 2-day canoe trip, 9 portages each way, and a short cross over into Canada.

Missouri Remote Spot – The Missouri Remote Spot is located within the Hercules Glades Wilderness Area of the Mark Twain National Forest, 2.2 miles from the nearest road. Together with Ryan’s Mom, Helen, we day-hiked into the Remote Spot, a 7.1 mile out-and-back. Fall color was at its peak!

Montana Remote Spot – The Montana Remote Spot is located within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, 18.0 miles from the nearest road. Together with our good friend and wilderness guru, Hank Timm, we backpacked 10-days to document the Spot, a 65 mile out-and-back. Between the wildlife and steep ascents, it was an epic adventure!

New Jersey Remote Spot – The New Jersey Remote Spot is located on a barrier island within the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, 3.3 miles from the nearest road. Because we were not permitted by the Refuge to spend the night, we had to use our 18ft jon boat to travel to the Spot. The distance from the nearest boat ramp was too far to get there and back by canoe in one day.

New Hampshire Remote Spot– Accompanied by our nephew, Cameron, we spent 2 days backpacking into and out of the New Hampshire Remote Spot. Located 4.4 miles from a road, we hiked 17.6 miles round-trip along the Pemigewasset Wilderness Area trail system to document the Spot.

New Mexico Remote Spot – Located within the Gila Wilderness, the NM Remote Spot is 11.5 miles from a road. Documentation of this Spot featured 60 river crossings, 5 days, and 45 miles of backpacking.

New York Remote Spot – The New York Remote Spot is located within the High Peaks Wilderness Area of the Adirondack Park, 5.3 miles from the nearest road. Documenting the Spot was a 27.7 mile round-trip, 2-day expedition along the Park’s trail system.

North Carolina Remote Spot – We spent 3 days backpacking into and out of the Remote Spot, located within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Spot is 5.5 miles from the nearest road, but we were able to get within 1/4 mile by utilizing the extensive National Park trail system.

Pennsylvania Remote Spot – The PA Remote Spot is located 2.7 miles from the nearest road within the center of the Hammersley Wild Area, Susquehannock State Forest. We hiked 4.9 miles one-way (9.8 miles total) to reach the Remote Spot. The Remote Spot was slightly more than 0.2 miles off the trail.

Rhode Island Remote Spot – The RI Remote Spot is on an island within the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 1.8 miles from a road. Rebecca’s cousin, Bryan, was our captain as we anchored in a cove and navigated around the colony of great black-backed gulls to document the Spot.

South Carolina Remote Spot– The South Carolina Remote Spot is located 6.7 miles from the nearest road within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. We traveled 9.5 miles by boat through winding creek channels in a sea of salt marsh to reach the Remote Spot located on the tip of a distant barrier island.

South Dakota Remote Spot – Located within Badlands National Park Sage Creek Wilderness, this Spot is 3.3 miles from the nearest road. We traveled among prairie dog towns and bison during our 2-day expedition to document this Spot.

Tennessee Remote Spot – Ryan and his two nephews, Cameron (18) and Chandler (16), backpacked into the most remote location in Tennessee – 4 straight-line miles from the nearest road. They hiked up to Tennessee’s highest point, Clingmans Dome, then down 5 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Tennessee’s Remote Spot is located just feet off of the Trail.

Vermont Remote Spot – Accompanied by our nephew Cameron, we documented the Vermont Spot on a one day, 9 mile out-and-back trip through the Lye Brook Wilderness Area. The Spot is located within the Green Mountain National Forest, 2.6 miles from a road.

Virginia Remote Spot – The Virginia Remote Spot is located along on a barrier island within The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve. The Spot is 8.3 straight line miles from the nearest road. We traveled 18 miles by boat then 4.4 miles by foot to get out to the Remote Spot and back.

West Virginia Remote Spot – The West Virginia Remote Spot is located 3.2 miles from the nearest road within the Cranberry Wilderness Area in the Monongahela National Forest.
We day-hiked 10.3 miles out to the Remote Spot and back.

Wyoming Remote Spot – This Spot represents the farthest distance we have traveled to document a Remote Spot to date – 71 miles round trip. The WY Remote Spot is located within Yellowstone National Park, 21.6 miles from a road.

Alabama and Mississippi Remote Spot Attempt – We made our first attempt to reach the Alabama and Mississippi Remote Spots during the last weekend in December 2010. The two Remote Spots are on islands in the Gulf of Mexico only 5 miles apart. However, the closest one is almost 8 miles from the nearest road, over 15 miles from the nearest boat ramp, and 10 miles from the mainland. Winds and large ocean waves thwarted our first attempt to document these Remote Spots. A follow up expedition is in the works for Spring 2012…